1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a developing apparatus, and more particularly, to a developing apparatus allowing a spacer and a leakage preventer to be simultaneously removed therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
A developing apparatus, comprising an organic photo conductor and a developing part, is detachably mounted on a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming device. The developing apparatus, one of principle apparatuses that configure the electrophotographic image forming device, is employed to visualize image information loaded from the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming device by a developer.
The electrophotographic image forming device may comprise a printer, a photocopier, a facsimile, a multi-function device, etc.
The developing apparatus is an expendable apparatus removed from the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming device in accordance with exhaustion of the developer stored therein. When the developer is exhausted, a user removes the existing developing apparatus from the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming device, and mounts a new developing apparatus thereon.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view schematically illustrating a conventional developing apparatus As shown in FIG. 1, the developing apparatus comprises an organic photo conductor (OPC) 12 and a developing roller 22. The organic photo conductor 12 receives light information from a laser scanning unit (LSU), not shown, and forms a latent image on a surface thereof. The developing roller 22 supplies the latent image, formed on the organic photo conductor 12, with a developer D, thereby creating a developed image.
A developer storing part 24 stores the developer D, and comprises a supplying opening 25. The developer D is supplied through the supplying opening 25 and then to the developing roller 22 by a supplying roller 26.
The supplying opening 25 is provided with a leakage preventer 40 removably attached thereto. The leakage preventer 40 seals the supplying opening 25, thereby preventing the developer D from leaking out of the developer storing part 24 until the conventional developing apparatus is mounted on the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming device.
Meanwhile, a user should remove the leakage preventer 40 from the supplying opening 25 before the conventional developing apparatus is mounted on the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming device. Accordingly the developer D may be supplied to the supplying roller 26 through the supplying opening 25.
Referring to FIG. 2, the leakage preventer 40 is provided with a handle part 45 in an end part thereof, wherein the handle part 45 is exposed externally of the developing apparatus. The user pulls the handle part 45 in the direction of arrow “a” (FIG. 2), thereby removing the leakage preventer 40 from the developing apparatus before mounting the developing apparatus on the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming device.
An OPC frame part 10 supports the organic photo conductor 12, and a developing roller frame part 20 supports the developing roller 22. Generally, the OPC frame part 10 is rotatably combined with the developing roller frame part 20 by a hinge part 14.
In the state in which the conventional developing apparatus is mounted on the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming device, and thereby operated, the OPC frame part 10 and the developing roller frame part 20 support the organic photo conductor 12 and the developing roller 22, respectively, according to a control of the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming device so that the organic photo conductor 12 and the developing roller 22 may be located with a predetermined distance therebetween for the developing process.
The developing apparatus of FIG. 2 comprises a spacer 30 to widen the space between the OPC frame part 10 and the developing roller frame part 20 in the state in which the developing apparatus is not yet mounted on the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming device. Since a surface of the organic photo conductor 12 is made of a sensitive material, even the slightest collision may cause damage thereto. The spacer 30 prevents the organic photo conductor 12 and the developing roller 22 from contacting each other until the developing apparatus is mounted on the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming device. The spacer 30 is interposed between the OPC frame part 10 and the developing roller frame part 20, and makes a sufficient space therebetween so that the organic photo conductor 12 and the developing roller 22 do not contact each other.
The spacer 30 is removed from the developing apparatus before the developing apparatus is mounted on the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming device. The user pulls the spacer 30 in the direction of arrow “b” (FIG. 2), thereby removing the spacer 30 from the developing apparatus.
The user should remove both the spacer 30 and the leakage preventer 40 from the developing apparatus before using the developing apparatus. However, the spacer 30 and the leakage preventer 40 of the developing apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 are not connected with each other, and the developing apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 has a problem in that the user needs to remove the spacer 30 and the leakage preventer 40 separately in order to use the developing apparatus.
Further, the structure of the developing apparatus may allow the user to mount the developing apparatus on the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming device and use the developing apparatus without removing either the spacer 30 or the leakage preventer 40 therefrom by mistake. Accordingly, the developing apparatus as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 can malfunction.